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Olympic long jump bet Torres grabs national games gold
DUMAGUETE CITY – Marestella Torres stamped her class here in the long jump event of the 2nd POC-PSC National Games at the Perdices Sports Complex.
The London Games-bound Torres snared the gold medal with 6.58 meters leap, beating double-gold winner Katherine Santos of Baguio City (6.19m) and Laguna’s Mildred Salut (5.51).
Though her gold-medal performance was far cry from her personal-best 6.71-m she registered in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, the 31-year old native of San Jose City, Negros Occidental is confident that she can still improve her mark in the Games.
“Wala pa ako sa peak siguro nasa 80 percent pa lang. Pero gusto ko ring subukan ko yung fitness ko,” said Torres, who concentrated on this event here to avoid any injury.
“Kaya ito lang nilaruan ko sa PNG. Para din makita tayo ng mga kababayan natin at ma-encourage na subukan ang sports,” she added.
Torres, representing Laguna here and fresh from a gold-medal performance in the Asian Grand Prix in Thailand, said her goal is to improve her mark and hopefully land a medal in the London Games
“I-aim na natin ang gold medal tutal ‘yun naman pangarap nating lahat,” said Torres, when asked of her target in the coming quadrennial event. “Subukan kong i-surpass yung record ko at sana manalo ng medal.”
Torres suited up for the 2008 Beijing Games as mandatory entry and registered 6.17 meters, 34th among the 38 entries. Brazil’s Maureen Higa Maggi won the gold in China with a 7.04 meters distance.
She’s no longer a mandatory entry in the Games as her 6.71 meters record gave her an automatic berth in London.
National team mainstay Henry Dagmil collared his third gold medal here after winning the men’s long jump with a distance of 7.71 meters. HyperSports teammates Benigno Marayag (7.37) and Joebert Delicano (7.29) took the silver and bronze respectively.
Dagmil previously won the gold in 100-meter dash and was part of the 4×100 meter relay that won the gold the other day.
Run for Change’s Edgar Bardel ruled the lung-busting 20-kilometer walk with the time of two hours, 19 minutes and 17.3 seconds, beating his teammate Dave Gamacal (2:23:48.4). The third entry here, Rey Angelo Pagatpat, was disqualified in the event.
Danilo Fresnido of Laguna topped the men’s javelin throw with a distance of 64.47 meters. HyperSports’ Guti Pido (63.03) and Kenny Gonzales (61.25) of Run for Change took silver and bronze respectively.
